Device for conditioning shoe upper material



J. H. GAQUIN DEVICE FOR CONDITIONING SHOE UPPER MATERIAL Filed April 19, 1961 FIG. I

Sept. 25, 1962 INVENTOR. 7 0 1 0K4 MW flf s.

FIG. 3

3,055,028 DEVICE FOR CONDITIONING SHOE UPPER MATERIAL John Harold Gaquin, deceased, late of Haverhill, Mass.,

by Beulah E. Gaquin, executrix, Haverhill, Mass,

assignor to Beckwith-Arden Inc., Watertown, Mass., a

corporation of New Hampshire Filed Apr. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 104,186 3 Claims. (Cl. 1259.7)

This invention comprises a new and improved device for conditioning shoe upper material preparatory to the pulling-over or lasting operations.

One important field of use for the present invention is in temporarily softening thermoplastic lining or stiffening material used in shaping and stiffening the counter portion of shoe uppers. Such material must not only be capable of softening under the influence of heat but of becoming adhesive so that it will unite with other plies of the upper as the finished shape of the shoe is imparted thereto. Where steam is used for this purpose it is important that it should be freed of all Water of condensation since any drops of water impair the desired adhesive bond. Further, in dealing with delicate upper leather or time treatment with wet steam is likely to cause objectionable discoloration or matting of the surface.

The device of the present invention avoids these difiiculties and is designed to deliver dry, superheated steam in the most effective and efficient manner to a selected part of the upper, specifically the counter portion. To this end the device is characterized by an elongated steam chamber having mounted thereon a series of upwardly and forwardly projecting counter supports communicating internally therewith and each presenting a convex wall shaped to fit inside the counter portion of a shoe upper.

A feature of the invention consists in counter supports so constructed and arranged that all moisture of condensation will be returned to the steam chamber without contact with the shoe upper. To this end the steam chamber carries a superstructure having a rearwardly inclined front wall and the individual counter supports project from this wall in a direction to insure that all moisture will be led to drain away from the upper which has been draped over it.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a view of the device in front elevation,

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing portions broken away,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of one of the counter supports.

The conditioning device herein shown is constructed of sheet metal and comprises walls which form an elongated underlying steam generating chamber through which passes from end to end a perforated steam pipe 11 sloping downwardly to an outlet elbow at one end of the chamber. The upper portion of the chamber is closed by a perforated horizontal partition 12 that may be transversely concave so that in general steam passing through it will be directed upwardly and inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of curvature of the partition. The partition is supported at its sides by angle irons secured to the side walls of the steam chamber. Above the partition is located an elongated electric heating unit 13 controlled from a switch box 14- secured to the left end of the steam chamber as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The heating unit may take the form of a tubular quartz infra-red lamp as de- States atent scribed for example in United States Patent 2,970,331, issued February 7, 1961 in the name of I. H. Gaquin.

Above the steam generating chamber and telescopically fitting into its upper portion is an overlying superstructure 15 forming a long chamber 16 open at the bottom and supported by in-turned flanges resting upon the side edges of the partition 12 as shown in FIG. 3. The front wall 17 of the chamber 16, which may be termed a superheated steam chamber is rearwardly and upwardly inclined and from it projects a series of spaced upper supports 18. Each of these supports includes an imperforate front wall 19 having its edge or rim upwardly convex in contour. This rim is curved and designed to fit inside the curved counter portion of an upper that may be draped thereon as shown in FIG. 3. The support is hollow in effect and the space partially enclosed by the wall 19 opens directly into the superheated steam chamber 16.

As herein shown the front wall 19 is braced in position by a curved U-shaped wall 18 of sheet metal that extends between it and the inclined wall 17. This U-shaped wall is shown as perforated throughout substantially its entire area to permit the passage of steam to the. inside of the upper, but any form of open bracing for the front wall 19 may be employed. It will be noted that the upper curved portion of the wall 18 slopes downwardly and rearwardly and so tends to throw the forepart of the upper outwardly from the superstructure as seen in FIG. 3. The position of the upper may be reversed where it is desired to treat a box toe stiffener therein.

In FIGS. 1 and 3 an upper is shown in dot and dash lines as draped upon one of the counter supports and it will be seen tht the perforations of the wall 18 are coextensive with the whole inner counter portion of the upper and that when the upper is conformed to the support the forepart thereof is held away from the steam generating chamber of the device. When an upper is placed in this manner, dry superheated steam will be delivered to that portion of the upper which contains a thermoplastic or heat activatable element in the form of a counter stiffener or lining ply. The conditioner is particularly useful in manufacturing shoes containing a composite thermoplastic lining which is flocked on its exposed surface and must be rendered adhesive on its other side so that it will bond firmly to the outer integument of the upper or an interposed lining ply. In practice the operator may keep four uppers upon the counter supports 18 and replace them progressively as he removes one for treatment in the pulling over operation.

In FIG. 2 the left hand upper support .19 is shown as braced in the superstructure by a rearwardly inclined bar 18' instead of the perforated wall 18 of the other supports. The bar 18' constitutes an example of the open bracing mentioned above. It extends from the top of the front wall 19 to the inclined wall 17 and so supports the upper for direct contact with super-heated steam rising through the chamber 16.

Having thus disclosed the invention and described in detail an illustrative embodiment thereof I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

'1. A conditioning device for shoe upper material, including in its structure an elongated superheated steam chamber having a rearwardly inclined outer wall, a series of hollow counter-supports projecting upwardly and forwardly from said inclined wall and each including an upright front wall having a rim shaped to fit inside the counter portion of a shoe upper, and open bracing means extending from said upright wall to the inclined outer wall of the superheated steam chamber and being constructed and arranged to support and expose the upper for direct contact with steam rising from the superheated steam chamber.

7 u 4i 2. A conditioning device as described in claim 1, further characterized in that the open bracing means comtlher characterized in that the upright front wall of each prises a curved U-shaped Wall perforated throughout subof the counter-supports is himperforate and has an upstantially its entire area. wardly convex nm, and that the bracing means comprlses References Cited in the file of this patent a bar extending from the convex rim of said front Wall to 5 the inclined outer wall of the steam chamber. UNITED STATES PATENTS 3. A conditioning device as described in claim 1, fur- 1 39 150 Brock 3, 1 2,970,331 Gaquin Feb. 7, 1961 

